Do you use emoticons to the point where you're starting to notice it? Is it beginning to annoy others? Although using them sparingly can be an easy way to express your mood when communicating textually and to personalise your posts, it is very easy to overuse them, which will get on some people's nerves, make you seem more childlike and also make your posts harder to read. Here are some simple tips on breaking your emoticon addiction:

An emoticon is a "facial expression pictorially represented by punctuation and letters, usually to express a writer’s mood"[1], most commonly things like :) :( ;) and :D

Steps

1

Determine whether you really are using too many emoticons. First you need to find out whether you do actually have a problem. Using some is okay, but you need to know when too much is too much. Do you tend to end all of your sentences with one? Post emoticons in a conversation without any words attached to them? Greet everybody with a smiling face? Think about it. Ask people you often talk to or instant message whether they think it is too much, or whether it annoys them. If you talk a lot in a chatroom, they may have statistics you can look at. Over 50 percent of your lines containing an emoticon is a good benchmark for realising when to start cutting down.

2

Think about why you're using so many emoticons in the first place. Do you really need to convey an emotion with everything you type? Is it just becoming a habit to include them? Try to only use them when you really mean them, and make yourself clearer in the text that you do write.

3

Replace the emoticons with something else. Is something confusing you? Use a question mark. Do you find something extremely surprising? Try using an exclamation point. There are a myriad of ways in which you can convey a greater amount of meaning using your keyboard, without having to resort to using an emoticon per sentence.

4

Limit yourself to one emoticon. Do you really need the whole range? To begin with, try only using one from your vast array, for example, using a :) every now and again when something actually made you smile. This will help you start to cut down on your overuse. It will also help your readers know when you really mean what you're expressing through an emoticon.

5

Cut down on using emoticons in forums, blog posts or chatrooms. Try to keep them for when you are speaking one-on-one with somebody you know well, as when you post too many in a public place there will probably be some who are okay with it, and some who'd rather you didn't. An emoticon or two is okay, but it can also make it harder to read what you and indeed other people are saying.

6

Make sure to include text with any emoticons you use. This will automatically cut down on the percentage of what you write that is made up of emoticons and will also help you express yourself better. Contrary to the popular saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words", you will actually be more explanatory and expressive by forgoing the :D and opting for "I had an awesome day, thanks!" instead. In addition, stating your feelings will make you appear both more mature and verbose.[2]

7

Consider the content that comes before each emoticon. Is using one really appropriate in this instance? If someone tells you some bad news, a few well thought-out words of condolence and support can go a much longer way than a simple :( Likewise, it's probably best to avoid emoticons when delivering bad news yourself, and if you ever say something mean or rude, just because you used a smiley with it does not make it okay.[3]

8

Don't be afraid to use the occasional smiley. Using a few emoticons is definitely okay in a text, forum or chatroom environment, it's only when you use too many that it becomes a problem. Just keep an eye on how many you are using and make sure that you communicate effectively and can be understood.

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Video

A humorous smiley intervention for those of you who use too many...

Tips

Chatspeak like "lol" or "haha" can also be used in place of emoticons, at a pinch, although this style of abbreviating meaning can also easily be overused.

Reduce your emoticon usage consciously and gradually. You'll find that it becomes a pleasant way to check your real feelings and discover much better methods for expressing your true meaning.

Using too many emoticons can make you seem like a "strongly-emotional fourteen-year-old girl writing on MySpace."[4] If you moderate it to a sensible amount, you are much more likely to be respected and seem more mature.